


Existing In It

by isnonstop



Series: At Your Mercy [12]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-03-25 15:12:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13837398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isnonstop/pseuds/isnonstop
Summary: "I don’t think you understand how beautiful you make my world, just by existing in it."-Nicole TorresMaria learns to live her life on her own terms while trying to figure out her strangely intense attraction to a dominant she only just met. Eliza deals with having a massive crush on her new housemate while trying to be a good friend to said new housemate.





	1. Friday, 19th January

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Okay,” Maria said softly, looking down at her toast. Those rules were simple enough, easy enough. “What else?”_
> 
> _“That's it,” Peggy shrugged, pushing away from the counter to go grab herself the toast that had just finished._
> 
> _“That's it?” Maria looked up, surprised. “Just three rules?”_

 

“So, Maria,” Peggy slid a plate of toast across the kitchen island to her. “Since you're living here now we should probably go over the house rules.”

“Rules?” Maria looked a bit nervous, entire body tense. 

“Nothing serious don't worry,” Angelica said, leaning against the counter and sipping her coffee. “Just some basic stuff.”

“Simple stuff really,” Eliza agreed, sitting down next to Maria, smiling gently at her. 

“Yeah, Like, rule one: bedrooms are private and no one goes into another's room without permission,” Peggy said. “Unless there is some type of danger.”

“Rule two: respect each other and their things,” Angelica continued. “Disagreements happen but there's no hurling insults in this house. We discuss things like adults when something has upset us.”

“Rule three: keep the common spaces tidy,” Eliza said. “If you use the kitchen tidy it up afterwards, same goes for the living room. You're always welcome to spend time out here, studying or relaxing or whatever, but we just try to keep personal messes confined to the bedrooms.”

“Okay,” Maria said softly, looking down at her toast. Those rules were simple enough, easy enough. “What else?”

“That's it,” Peggy shrugged, pushing away from the counter to go grab herself the toast that had just finished. 

“That's it?” Maria looked up, surprised. “Just three rules?”

“Just three,” Angelica smiled softly. “They're just basic house rules to keep everything running smoothly. And we're all adults with common sense we don't need masses of rules to know how to be considerate housemates.”

“Right,” Maria said softly, looking down at the table. “Okay.”

“Anything you want to add?” Eliza asked. “We want you to feel comfortable here so if there's anything you need to make sure that's the case please tell us?”

“Oh, ah,” Maria blushed, ducking her head. “No, there's nothing.”

“Well, if you think of anything later let us know,” Eliza smiled, standing and taking her dishes to the sink. 

“Do you want to go get your stuff today?” Angelica asked. 

“My stuff?” Maria frowned. 

“Yeah,” Angelica nodded. “I’m sure there are things at your ex’s place that you want. Clothes and stuff. I don’t have any classes today so I can go with you.”

“Oh, um, well,” Maria sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I don’t want James to hurt you.”

“He won’t,” Angelica said, sounding very confident. Maria hesitated, looking over at the clock on the stove before giving a small nod.

“He will leave for work at ten,” Maria said softly. 

“We'll go then,” Angelica said with a definitive nod and a smile. “We can get you everything you need while he's at work. And then you can get settle in here.”

“I could come as well,” Eliza offered. 

“Don't you have class?” Peggy asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“It's just a tutorial,” Eliza shrugged. “I can miss it.” She turned to Maria, smiling gently. “I can come if you'd like.”

“Oh, um, yeah, I'd like that,” she said softly, ducking her head and blushing. 

“Great,” Eliza beamed. “We can leave in an hour. Would that work?”

“Yeah that's fine,” Maria nodded. 

“You can borrow some of my clothes,” Peggy said. “Come, we can pick something out.”

—

“This is it,” Maria said, pointing to the apartment building. It wasn't as nice as the Schuyler sister’s building and Maria couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by that. But neither Angelica nor Eliza made any comments or even seemed to react at all to the less than great state of the building. Maria unlocked the door, letting them in and out of the cold. “It's on the third floor. Apartment three-twelve. The ah, the elevator doesn't work though. Sorry”

“It's fine. Let’s go,” Angelica said, heading up the steps. Eliza gave Maria a gentle smile before following her sister, taking the steps two at a time to catch up with her. Maria followed a bit more slowly. She knew James wasn't going to be there but she still was nervous about visiting the apartment. She never wanted to be back here again. Angelica and Eliza were waiting outside the door when she got there, patiently standing to the side. Maria unlocked the door, pushing it open before stepping back to allow the other two women in first. The apartment was a small simple one bedroom. Nothing big and grand like the Schuyler sisters' four-bedroom loft apartment. 

“The bedroom is on the right,” Maria said, stepping into the apartment and shutting the door behind her. She wasn’t all that thrilled about being back. But she knew she needed to get her things quickly. The longer they were in this apartment the more chances James had of destroying them. “There should be a duffle bag under the bed.”

“Is there anything out here of yours?” Eliza asked, looking around the small living room. 

“No,” Maria shook her head. “I don’t have many things. Just my clothes and a couple things hidden in a box.”

“Alright,” Eliza nodded, giving Maria a gentle smile. “Let’s get your stuff. And then we can get you settled in back at home.”

Home. Maria hadn’t felt like any place was home since she ran away when she was sixteen. But the thought of having a home where Eliza was, was a very appealing one.

“Okay,” Maria said softly, leading Angelica and Eliza into the bedroom. She crouched down, pulling the duffle bag from under the bed. “The two drawers on the bottom. Those are mine.” Angelica nodded and went over, pulling out the items from the drawers. There wasn’t much and it easily fit inside the one medium sized duffle bag. 

“Is there anything of yours in the closet?” Eliza asked, watching as Maria knelt down and reached under the dresser, pulling out a small locked box. 

“Just a couple shoes and a coat,” Maria said, going over and carefully putting the box into the duffle bag. Eliza nodded and went over, opening the closet. It was pretty obvious what things were Maria’s, and Eliza collected them quickly. Once the last of her things were tucked into the duffle bag, Maria zipped it up and put it over one shoulder. 

“That’s everything?” Angelica asked, looking around the room. 

“Yeah,” Maria said softly, looking down at her feet. “I don’t have much.”

“That’s okay,” Eliza said, resting a hand on Maria’s shoulder. “Let’s head out then.”

“Do you want to stop at the store on the way home?” Angelica asked, heading out of the bedroom. “We can pick up some of your favourite foods.”

“Oh,” Maria blushed, shoulders hunching a bit. “You don’t need to do that.”

“We want to,” Eliza smiled brightly at Maria, stepping out of the apartment. “It’ll be like a little welcome to the house party.”

“We need a few things from the store anyway,” Angelica added, pulling the apartment door shut behind them before heading towards the stairs.

“Okay,” Maria said softly, following the sisters down the stairs.

—

“So, Maria,” Peggy said, spinning around on the bar stool as Maria prepared dinner. She had insisted on cooking since the sisters had so kindly opened their home to her. “What do you do? Are you in school? Do you work?”

“No and no,” Maria said softly. “Or I didn’t work. My ex had pretty traditional views about submissives. But I’m going to get a job now obviously.”

“Why don’t you go to school?” Peggy asked, sipping her drink. 

“I don’t have the money,” Maria shrugged. “And school was never really my thing.”

Peggy hummed, nodding, “I suppose. What do you want to do then?”

“I don’t know,” Maria admitted, glancing over at the youngest Schuyler sister. “Whatever it takes to survive I guess.”

“That is unhelpfully vague,” Peggy said with a huff. Maria gave an apologetic shrug before turning back to the stove. “What do you like?”

Maria shrugged, “I don’t know. I like music I guess.”

“Everyone likes music,” Peggy said, still spinning in her chair. “Do you play an instrument?”

“No,” Maria said, removing a pot from the stove. “But I sing.”

“Really?” Peggy stopped spinning to face Maria. 

“Yeah,” Maria nodded. “I used to sing in my school’s choir before-“ she stopped, biting her lip.

“Before?” Peggy prompted, leaning across the counter a bit. 

“Before I ran away,” Maria finished softly, draining the water from the pot of pasta. 

“Oh,” Peggy said, nodding slowly. “Right. Are you any good?”

“My choir director said so,” Maria shrugged. She was grateful Peggy didn’t ask any more questions. Her past was not something she was ready to talk about. 

“Can I hear something?” Peggy asked. 

Maria looked over, looking a bit surprised, “Right now?”

“Sure, why not?” Peggy said, smiling. “Please?”

“I haven’t sung in ages,” Maria said, stirring the sauce into the pasta. “I’m really out of practice.”

“I don’t care,” Peggy shrugged. “Please, Maria?”

“Okay, um, alright,” Maria nodded. She was quiet for a moment before settling on an old favourite, ‘Defying Gravity’. She started out softly, a little nervous but it quickly became clear that Peggy was very impressed and with each passing note Maria grew increasingly confident. It felt good to sing, it had been so long since she’d been able to. She didn’t notice the audience she’d amassed until she finished the song and heard clapping. She blushed, looking over to find Angelica, Eliza, and a girl she didn’t recognise standing in the doorway of the kitchen. 

“That was amazing!” Eliza said, her smile wide and eyes bright. 

“Thank you,” Maria said softly, ducking her head shyly. 

 “You’re really good,” Peggy said, grinning across the counter at Maria. “You should be killing it with a record deal or on Broadway or something.”

“I’m not that good,” Maria said, turning back to the food to give herself something to do. 

“You are very good,” the strange woman said, an unmistakable French accent coating her words. It was very obvious from the woman’s entire demeanour that she was a dominant and Maria flushed, ducking her head.

“Thank you, miss,” Maria said softly, shifting her weight nervously. 

“Je m’appelle Adrienne,” she said, stepping over and extending a hand to her. Maria hesitated before taking Adrienne’s hand, shaking it briefly before turning back to the food, plating it to be served. 

“Adrienne is my girlfriend,” Angelica explained. “My domme. She’s going to join us for dinner.”

“Okay,” Maria nodded, picking up the dish of pasta. Eliza stepped forward quickly, grabbing the other dish and helping Maria carry them over to the table.

“This looks delicious, Maria,” Eliza said, smiling gently at Maria as they laid out the dishes on the table. 

“Thank you, Eliza,” Maria said softly. 

“Why don’t you sit down?” Eliza said, gesturing to the table. “I can get the rest of the stuff.”

“Okay,” Maria whispered, taking a nervous seat down at the table. She let out a soft sigh as Eliza left the dining room. 

—

Maria sat in the living room, staring down into a mug of tea. It was late, the sisters had disappeared into their rooms hours ago. Everyone had been very impressed with dinner, very vocal about their enjoyment, but it was Eliza’s gentle smile and soft praise was what made Maria feel the best. She wasn’t sure why Eliza affected her to the extent that the dominant did but there was just something about Eliza that made Maria’s heart flutter dangerously. Never in her life had a dominant made Maria feel the way Eliza did and truthfully it scared Maria a bit. She sighed, taking a sip of her tea, looking out the window to the dark sky. She’d been young when she met James, young and naive and a little desperate. But he’d been nice at the start and it didn’t take long for Maria to fall for him. And for the first couple months, it was lovely. And then it wasn’t. 

Maria sighed again, looking down into her mug. She wasn’t going to let thoughts of James ruin a perfectly lovely evening. She’d had fun with the Schuylers and Adrienne. They were all nice, chatting happily over the meal, full of life and love. Even though Maria didn’t participate in the conversations too much she never felt like an outsider. It was truthfully the most fun she’d had in a long time and if the entire time she spent living with the Schuylers was like this she was looking forward to it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone that doesn't care about spoilers should come chat with me on tumblr because I need help figuring out a major plot point of Maria's storyline... 
> 
> [Christine Allado aka Maria's faceclaim singing "Defying Gravity"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btrClfmG5UU)


	2. Saturday, 20th January

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Good morning,” Eliza said, pulling her hair back up into a messy bun as she entered the kitchen. She, unlike Maria, was still dressed in her pyjamas - a pair of comfy looking plaid bottoms and an oversized Columbia University t-shirt._
> 
> _“Good morning, Eliza,” Maria said, grabbing the sugar and milk to prepare Eliza’s coffee exactly how she liked it. Maria had made a point of memorising the way the Schuyler sisters took their coffee the previous morning so she’d be prepared._

The next day was a Saturday and Maria woke early as she always did. She was up before any of the Schuyler sisters and after a quick shower, she headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. She looked through the cupboards to find the various ingredients she needed to make pancakes. The kitchen was sensibly laid out so it wasn’t hard for Maria to find everything she needed and before long she had pancakes cooking on the stove and a pot of coffee brewing. 

She had just finished filling the serving dish with all the cooked pancakes when she heard the soft patting of bare feet heading down the hallway from the bedrooms to the kitchen. Maria grabbed a mug and poured out a cup of coffee for whoever was awake. 

“Good morning,” Eliza said, pulling her hair back up into a messy bun as she entered the kitchen. She, unlike Maria, was still dressed in her pyjamas - a pair of comfy looking plaid bottoms and an oversized Columbia University t-shirt. 

“Good morning, Eliza,” Maria said, grabbing the sugar and milk to prepare Eliza’s coffee exactly how she liked it. Maria had made a point of memorising the way the Schuyler sisters took their coffee the previous morning so she’d be prepared. 

“Is that for me?” Eliza asked as Maria walked over with the coffee. 

“Yes,” Maria said softly, holding out the mug with a shy smile. The ‘miss’ was on the tip of her tongue but she managed to hold it back. 

“Oh thank you,” Eliza smiled, taking the cup and holding it with both hands as she took a sip. She hummed, looking up at Maria and smiling widely. “This is perfect. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Maria said softly, insides warming at the praise from the dom. She turned and went back to the counter, grabbing the dish of pancakes and carrying it over to the island. “I also made pancakes.”

“Oh, those smell delicious,” Eliza said, sipping her coffee as she went to sit on one of the stools. “But you didn’t have to cook, Maria. You made dinner last night.”

“I like cooking,” Maria said softly, going to grab some plates and cutlery. “And it’s a habit I guess.”

“Did you do all the cooking for your old dom?” Eliza asked, resting her mug down as she watched Maria move around the kitchen. 

“Yes,” Maria nodded. “James- James is pretty old-fashioned.” 

“Ah,” Eliza said softly. “Well, here you don’t need to do all the cooking or cleaning or whatever else your ex-dom expected you to do. We have a cleaner come once a week and take turns cooking. But mostly we eat out or order delivery.”

“I like to cook,” Maria repeated, standing across the island from Eliza. 

“And you can if you want we just don’t want you to feel obligated to,” Eliza said, her eyes soft. “We want you to feel happy and comfortable and safe here.”

“I do,” Maria whispered, looking down at the smooth countertop. She traced her fingers over the top of it, drawing the same mark that was forever marked on her wrist. 

“Good,” Eliza said, reaching over and gently resting her hand on top of Maria’s. She gave Maria’s hand a gentle squeeze before sitting back and grabbing a pancake out of the serving dish. 

—

After the others, including Adrienne who had stayed the night, came out for breakfast Maria retreated to her room. She could hear the others talking and laughing happily in the kitchen and a part of her wanted to go join them and join in on the fun. But while she knew they would happily involve her just as they did the night before, she didn’t want to intrude on their time any more than she already had. 

She sat on her bed, legs crossed and hands resting in her lap as she stared out the window. The Schuylers’ apartment had a beautiful view of the city and not for the first time she wondered just how much the rent cost. When she asked Angelica about rent and how much she would need to give each month for staying there, the older submissive just laughed and said she didn’t even know how much the rent was since her father took care of it. Maria sighed, flopping backwards to stare up at the ceiling. She was tired even though she’d had a solid six hours of sleep. Since she had nothing better to do, Maria decided to take a nap. She grabbed the throw blanket from the foot of the bed and draped it over herself before curling up. 

She woke a couple hours later, feeling a bit less tired but her stomach felt off, making her sigh as she sat up. She glanced over at the time - 11:37am - before sliding out of the bed and stretching. She wasn’t sure she’d manage to eat something, not with the way her stomach was rolling but decided a cup of tea might help. She left her room and made her way down the hall to the kitchen. Peggy was sat at the counter when Maria came in, absently scrolling through something on her tablet while she wrote some things down on a notepad. 

“Hi,” Maria said softly as she went over to grab a mug from the cabinet, switching on the kettle as she passed. 

“Hey, Maria,” Peggy said, looking up from her tablet. “How’re you?”

“I’m good,” Maria lied, flashing Peggy a small smile. 

“You disappeared really quickly this morning,” Peggy set down her pen, watching the other submissive move around the kitchen preparing her tea. 

Maria shrugged, “I was a bit tired. I didn’t sleep too well.” The first part was true even if the latter was a lie.

“Did you get some more sleep this morning?” Peggy asked. 

“Yeah,” Maria said as the kettle beeped. “I took a nap and I’m feeling better now.”

“Great,” Peggy smiled, grabbing her pen again. “Angelica went out with Adrienne and Eliza’s gone to the youth center she volunteers at so it’s just you and me here for now. I was going to make lunch after I finished reading through this chapter if you want some.”

“I’m not hungry,” Maria said, inhaling the smell of her tea. “But thanks.”

“Alright,” Peggy said, looking back down at her tablet. Maria leaned against the counter as she sipped at her tea, watching Peggy read and scribble down notes. There was silence for a while before Peggy sighed and sat back, stretching as she locked her tablet. 

“Finished?” Maria asked softly. 

“Yeah finally,” Peggy said, standing and moving around the island. Maria watched as Peggy made herself lunch, a smile sandwich with a handful of chips. 

“Hey, Peggy?” Maria said when Peggy had sat down with her lunch. She’d long since finished drinking her tea but she it had taken her a while to work up the courage to finally ask Peggy the thing she’d wanted to. 

“Yes?” Peggy said, looking up from her lunch. 

“Would you mind if I used your tablet for a bit?” Maria asked, resting her mug in the dishwasher. “I want to start looking for a job.”

“Of course,” Peggy said, pushing the tablet across the island. “The passcode is seventeen seventy-six.” 

“Thank you,” Maria said, picking up the tablet and holding it close to her chest. “I’ll try and be quick.”

“No rush,” Peggy smiled. “I’ve got another one. And my laptop so, no rush. You can hold onto that one for now if you want.”

“Thank you,” Maria repeated softly, giving Peggy a shy smile before going back to her room.

—

Eliza sat down across from Alexander at the small table tucked into the corner of the restaurant. He was looking at something on his phone and didn’t look up when she arrived, which wasn’t unusual for him. Anyone could have sat down across from Alexander and he wouldn’t have noticed until he came to the end of whatever it was he was doing on his phone. Eliza just smiled fondly at him before grabbing the menu and taking a look. She was perfectly happy to figure out what she wanted to order and wait until Alexander was finished. It was another couple minutes before Alex finally looked up and startled a bit at the sight of Eliza.

“When did you get here?” He asked, setting his phone down a smiling. 

“Like five minutes or so ago,” she shrugged, looking up from her menu. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice,” Alex said, looking a little sheepish. “I was doing some research.”

“On?” Eliza asked, resting her menu to the side. 

“Just some stuff for one of his classes,” he shrugged, waving away her question. Eliza could tell he was lying but didn’t push. Alexander would talk to her when he was good and ready.

“Okay,” Eliza hummed, grabbing the glass of water their waiter had brought. “How’ve your classes been going?”

“Good,” Alex said, glancing down at his menu to figure out what he wanted. “I’ve got a few essays that need working on and apparently we’re going to have a big partner project in one of my classes. But our prof hasn’t said what it’ll be about or who we’re working with yet.”

“And I’m sure that is driving you crazy,” Eliza chuckled. 

“It is,” Alex said, looking up from his menu with a slight pout. “How am I supposed to start working on the project if I don’t know what it is?”

“If your professor hasn’t told you what it is, then obviously it isn’t due for a while so you don’t need to start working on it,” Eliza pointed out, a teasing glint in her eyes. 

“I want to start working on it,” Alex grumbled, pouting a bit harder. “I don’t like not knowing what the assignment is. All the syllabus says is that it is a research paper and presentation but not what the topic is.”

“I’m sure you’ll survive not knowing,” Eliza said, laughing at the way Alex groaned dramatically. 

“I thought you knew me better than that,” Alex said, resting his menu back down. “We have known each other for years.”

“Yes, and that’s why I know you’ll be fine,” Eliza said, leaning back slightly in her chair as she watched him. Alex huffed, crossing his arms over his chest while he glared at her. It was a playful glare and Eliza just laughed as their waiter came over to take their order. 

—

It was late when Eliza returned to the apartment. After dinner, she and Alexander had wandered the streets for a bit, talking and laughing. It was nice. It had been far too long since the last time she had been able to spend some solo time with Alexander. While she first met him she didn’t know what to think about this loudmouthed kid with the funny accent who had seemed to appear out of nowhere, she definitely considered Alexander to be her best friend and it was always nice to be able to spend some time with him. 

She expected everyone to be asleep, or at the very least locked away in their bedrooms when she arrived home and was very surprised to find that that wasn’t the case. The soft glow of a lamp beckoned her towards the living room when she arrived. When she entered she found Maria curled up in the corner of the couch, a tablet resting in her lap as she scrolled through it slowly. There was a cup of tea resting on the side table as well as a small plate with a few plain crackers. Eliza stood in the doorway watching her for a moment, fingers itching to run her hands through Maria’s hair and stomach fluttering at the way the light cast a glow on her skin. 

“Maria?” Eliza said softly, stepping into the room. “Is that Peggy’s tablet?”

Maria looked up, eyes wide and scared as she jumped up off the couch. She held the tablet tight as she quickly moved to Eliza’s side and held it out to her. 

“I’m sorry,” Maria said, looking down at her feet. Eliza could see the way Maria’s hands were shaking as she held the tablet out. “Peggy said- but I- you- I’m sorry.”

“Maria,” Eliza’s voice was soft as she rested a hand on Maria’s arm. The submissive flinched, jerking back slightly before freezing, entire body stiffening. Eliza took a step backwards from Maria, giving her some space. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you without permission. What did Peggy say?”

“She- she said I could borrow her tablet,” Maria whispered, voice shaking slightly as she stared down at the floor. She clutched the tablet tight to her chest to make sure she didn’t drop it. 

“Then you can borrow it,” Eliza said, voice soft but firm. “It’s her tablet. She can do what she wants with it.”

“But you-“

“I wasn’t asking because I was upset,” Eliza interrupted gently before Maria could finish her thought. “I was just curious. What were you looking at?”

“Jobs,” Maria whispered, chewing on her bottom lip. 

“Ah okay,” Eliza smiled gently even though Maria wasn’t looking at her. “If you need any help, let me know.”

“Thanks, Eliza,” Maria whispered, glancing up at Eliza briefly before looking back down at the floor. 

“I’m going to go to bed,” Eliza said, brushing some hair out of her face. 

“Okay,” Maria gave a small nod. “Good night, Eliza.”

“Good night, Maria,” Eliza said softly. “Sleep well.”

“Sleep well,” Maria whispered, glancing up to watch as Eliza left the room. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! I'm back! 
> 
> It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do with Maria's storyline but I've figured it out so now I'm back on track for this story.


	3. Monday, 22nd - Saturday, 27th January

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“You know you don’t have to cook every morning, right?” Angelica said, startling Maria a bit. She turned around to face Angelica, the quick movement making her stomach feel worse._
> 
> _“Yes, I know,” Maria said softly. “But I like cooking. And I wake up early out of habit so…”_

**Monday**

Maria once again woke early and made breakfast. But none of the sisters had early classes that morning so by the time she was finished cooking and eating her own breakfast they were still asleep. She left the breakfast warming in the microwave and a note on the counter before leaving. 

She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck as she stepped outside into the cold, tucking her hands deep into her pockets. She looked around, getting a general idea for her bearings before heading off down the street. She had an interview for a job at a little coffee shop not too far from the Schuyler sisters’ building and she was nervous. This was her first proper job interview and she needed it to go well. As nice as it was to live with the Schuylers she knew it wasn’t a forever situation and she needed to be able to take care of herself when it all came crashing down. 

 

**Tuesday**

Eliza beat her to the kitchen that morning. By the time Maria entered the kitchen, Eliza already had breakfast well underway and was humming along to some music playing. Maria stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Eliza dance around, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest. Over the past couple days, Maria had spent a bit more time getting to know Eliza and everything Maria learned about the dominant made her like Eliza more. 

“Good morning,” Eliza said cheerfully when she saw Maria standing there. “I’m making waffles. Would you like some?”

“Oh, um, yes please, “ Maria nodded, blushing at being caught staring. She went over and poured herself a mug of coffee, watching Eliza out of the corner of her eye as the dominant returned to the stove. 

“I’m also making some bacon,” Eliza said, glancing over at Maria with a smile. “Vegetarian bacon. Would you like some?”

“I’ve never had vegetarian bacon,” Maria admitted softly, leaning against the counter. 

“It’s pretty tasty,” Eliza said with a shrug, grabbing a piece from the plate and holding it out to her. “Try it.”

Maria took it, taking a small bite. She chewed it slowly, glancing over at Eliza who was watching her closely, eagerly awaiting her reaction. 

“It’s nice,” Maria said, taking another small bite of it. Eliza smiled brightly, turning back to the stove to finish cooking. 

“How long have you been a vegetarian?” Eliza asked as she removed a few more pieces of bacon from the pan. 

“My whole life,” Maria said, sipping her coffee as she watched Eliza cook. “You?”

“I was always a very picky meat eater. I would only eat certain things and only if I was sure it came from a humane source,” Eliza said, removing the last of the bacon from the pan and turning off the stove. “It was kind of a gradual process. I started eating less and less meat over the course of a few years and then one day I realised I hadn’t eaten any meat in almost six months and just kept with it. The last time I ate any meat was when I was sixteen.”

Maria hummed, taking another sip of her coffee as Eliza finished plating up the food. “Do you need any help with that?”

“No, I’m fine,” Eliza said, smiling over at her before carrying the plates to the island. “Sit down and eat something. You don’t eat enough, Maria.”

Maria swallowed, the order washing over her and making a strange weight settle into her stomach. Part of her wanted to follow Eliza’s order without question, feeling strangely safe in the dominant’s hands even though she’d only known Eliza for less than a week. But another part of her wanted to ignore the order, to turn the other way and leave the kitchen; after all, she’d only known Eliza for less than a week and she did have very bad experiences with dominants in the past. She bit her lip, watching as Eliza set out plates and cutlery for a moment before going over to sit down at the counter. 

 

**Wednesday**

“Miss Lewis?” 

“Yes?” Maria said, sitting up from where she was flipping through a magazine. She was laying on the floor in the living room, her old battered cellphone resting on the floor next to her while she waited anxiously for a call back from the cafe about the job. Peggy was curled up on the couch, absently scrolling through something on her tablet. 

“This is Theodosia calling about the barista job,” the woman on the phone said and Maria sat up straighter. 

“Oh, hi,” Maria said, chewing on her lip. 

“I’d like to offer you the job,” Theodosia said, sounding like she was smiling. Maria inhaled sharply, eyes widening a bit in surprise and excitement. “Are you able to start Monday?”

“Yes,” Maria said, nodding vigorously. “Yes, I am. Thank you so much.”

“Great!” Theodosia said. “We’ll see you on Monday.”

“Thank you,” Maria said again. “See you Monday. Have a great day!”

“You too,” Theodosia said before hanging up. Maria exhaled slowly, as she dropped her phone into her lap. 

“You got the job?” Peggy asked, making Maria look up at her. 

“Yeah,” she nodded, smiling. “I did. I start Monday.”

“Congrats, Maria,” Peggy smiled, swinging her legs off the couch and standing. “We should celebrate!”

“It’s just a job,” Maria said, standing and following Peggy into the kitchen. 

“Shh,” Peggy flapped a hand at her. “Anything is cause for celebration if you think hard enough.”

Maria laughed, not bothering to argue. The other submissive was stubborn and unwaveringly cheerful. It was easy for Maria to feel comfortable around Peggy, even if that comfort felt different from the comfort she felt with Eliza. 

 

**Thursday**

Maria woke with an upset stomach, which she attributed to her anxiety about starting a new job on Monday. She laid in bed for far longer than she ever allowed herself, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to will the nausea away. The nausea wasn’t that extreme but it was enough to make her not want to get up. But more urgent than her desire to lay completely still until her stomach settled, was the need that had basically been beaten into her to be useful and to earn her keep. She rolled out of bed slowly, rubbing her stomach to try and settle it while she stood and made her way over to the dresser where she’d laid out her outfit for that day the night before. She didn’t feel like showering so she just got dressed and brushed her teeth, looking at herself in the mirror for a moment before leaving her bedroom. Angelica was sat at the kitchen counter when Maria entered, sipping at a mug of tea and typing something out on her laptop. She looked up when Maria came in and gave her a tired smile before turning back to her computer. 

“Morning,” Maria said softly as she went over to the kettle, filling it and turning it on. She looked through the cabinet to find that tea Eliza had mentioned that was good for upset stomachs and dropped a teabag into a mug. She didn’t expect a response from Angelica since she was working but it seemed rude not to say anything. She pulled out a frying pan, resting it on the stove as the kettle finished boiling. 

“You know you don’t have to cook every morning, right?” Angelica said, startling Maria a bit. She turned around to face Angelica, the quick movement making her stomach feel worse. 

“Yes, I know,” Maria said softly. “But I like cooking. And I wake up early out of habit so…”

“Well you’re a much better cook than me,” Angelica said, sliding out of her stool and moving over to her. “Adrienne is always teasing me because I can barely boil water without burning something.”

“She’s not upset that her submissive cannot cook?” Maria asked, pulling a few ingredients from the cabinets.

“No,” Angelica said. “And no decent dominant would.” Maria hummed, grabbing the kettle and pouring some water into her mug. Angelica noticed what tea she had and frowned in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Maria said, glancing over at her. “Just got an upset stomach. I’m fine.”

“Okay,” Angelica nodded, leaning against the counter. “What’re you cooking?”

“French toast,” Maria said, moving to the fridge. 

“Can you teach me?” Angelica asked, head tilting slightly to a side. Maria looked over, surprised, before nodding. Angelica smiled brightly, pushing off the counter and going to wash her hands.

 

**Friday**

Maria once again woke with nausea that morning and this time she did lay in bed instead of getting up to make breakfast. She pulled the blankets up over her head and sighed, slipping her hand under her pyjama shirt and rubbing her stomach in small circles. She had a vague memory of her mother doing that for her when she was a sick as a young child. She didn’t have many memories of their mother since she died when Maria was quite young so she treasured the few that she did. Maria continued to rub her stomach as she reached over and rolled over to check the time on the alarm clock that sat on the side table. 

6:25am

Angelica and Peggy didn’t have classes on Friday mornings but Eliza had a tutorial. And when Maria remembered that her submissive side screamed at her to get up and make breakfast for the dominant. But Maria forced herself to focus on the fact that Eliza had repeatedly told her she didn’t need to cook all the time. Maria sighed, rolling over and curling up around a pillow, hugging it tight to her chest and managing to fall back to sleep. 

She woke again hours later, stomach completely settled and calm. She sat up, running a hand through her hair and sighing softly. It was almost noon at this point and her stomach was grumbling angrily at her for not providing it sustenance. She didn’t bother getting dressed, just pulled on the robe Peggy had given her when she moved in - a deep red and super fluffy thing that was insanely comfortable - and headed down the hall to the kitchen. 

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Peggy said, sitting on the counter next to the stove, phone in hand. 

“Morning,” Maria said, blushing slightly as she went over to get herself something to drink. 

“I’m warming up one of those casseroles Eliza keeps in the freezer if you’re hungry,” Peggy said, swinging her legs back and forth against the cabinet. 

“Um, that would be great, yeah thanks,” Maria said, smiling at the younger submissive as she poured herself a glass of orange juice. 

“Angie said to let you know that Adrienne is coming over tonight,” Peggy returned her gaze to her phone. “And that we’re going to order delivery and watch movies if you’d like to join us.”

“I’d love to,” Maria said, pulling her robe a little tighter around herself as she sipped her drink. 

“Great!” Peggy smiled, locking her phone and setting it down. “You can pick the first movie!” She hopped down off the counter as the timer on the oven went off. “Could you get some plates?”

“Sure,” Maria said, moving over to the cabinet. 

 

**Saturday**

Maria woke up curled up on the sofa, her head pillowed in someone’s lap. There was a blanket tucked tightly around her, warm and soft. She could hear the sounds of other people’s breathing around the room, a gentle comforting sound that made her not want to get up at all. She sighed softly, pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders and snuggling in a little closer to the person she was using as a pillow. Their lap was very comfortable and Maria’s half asleep brain almost recognised the soft scent of their lotion but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it before she was asleep again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The West End Schuyler sisters have robes that match their dress colours. In this they do as well and Maria has one too!


	4. Monday, 29th January

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“You nervous?” Theodosia asked, stepping back around the counter to the coffee machine._
> 
> _“A bit,” Maria admitted, brushing her braid back over her shoulder._
> 
> _“Don’t be,” Theodosia waved a hand at her._

“Good morning,” Eliza said as Maria came into the kitchen on Monday morning. It was early, even earlier than she would usually be up but she was due at the cafe for the opening shift and she wanted to eat something before she left. She was surprised to find Eliza awake and already dressed, standing at the stove cooking something. 

“Morning,” Maria said, going over to make herself another stomach-soothing tea. “Isn’t it a little early to be up?”

“I’m volunteering at a breakfast program at a nearby school,” Eliza said, glancing at her. “Got an upset stomach?”

“Just some nerves about starting work,” Maria said, turning on the kettle. 

“You’re going to do great,” Eliza smiled, flipping the pancake she was cooking. “Do you want some pancakes?”

“Yes please,” Maria said, pouring the boiling water into her mug. 

“Lovely, grab a plate,” Eliza said, pointing to a serving dish with her spatula. “There are some finished in that.”

“Thank you,” Maria said, pulling a couple plates out of the cabinet. She grabbed a couple pancakes from the dish and dropped them on her plate. The last time Eliza managed to beat her to making breakfast, the dominant had made pancakes and Maria had to admit that she much preferred Eliza’s pancakes to her own. 

“I was going to make a smoothie too,” Eliza said as Maria sat down with her tea. “Do you want one?”

“No thanks,” Maria said, cutting her pancakes into small pieces. “I’ll stick with my tea.”

“Right, upset stomach,” Eliza said, turning off the stove and dishing herself up some pancakes. “You’re going to do great, Maria.”

“This is just the first real job I’ve held so I’m nervous,” she shrugged, eating a few bites of her food. Eliza sat down next to her, reaching out and resting a hand on Maria’s arm gently. Maria swallowed, a pleasant warmth spreading through her at Eliza’s gentle touch. She looked over at Eliza, to find the dominant watching her with a gentle expression. 

“You’re going to do great,” Eliza repeated softly, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. 

“Thank you, Eliza,” Maria said softly, smiling back shyly before looking down at her plate. Eliza gave her arm another squeeze before turning to her own food. 

—

“So, any questions?” Theodosia asked. She had just finished showing Maria where everything was behind the counter and teaching her how to use the coffee machine and the register. 

“Ah, no I don’t think so,” Maria said, nervously rubbing her hands down on her apron. The amount of information she’d just had to consume was pretty overwhelming but she didn’t want to bother Theodosia with a million questions. 

“Well, for today I think you should just man the register,” Theodosia said, smiling over at Maria. “It’s a lot easier than the coffee machine, who I swear hates everything and everyone and Dolley is much better at using it so she can teach you.” 

“Dolley is the assistant manager, right?” Maria said, stepping over to the register. 

“Yes,” Theodosia nodded, stepping around the counter to go unlock the door and slip the sign to ‘open’. “She never does the opening shift but she said she’ll come in early today to show you how to work the machine.”

“Okay,” Maria nodded, fiddling with the items around the cash register, adjusting the tip jar so it was in a better line of sight. 

“You nervous?” Theodosia asked, stepping back around the counter to the coffee machine. 

“A bit,” Maria admitted, brushing her braid back over her shoulder. 

“Don’t be,” Theodosia waved a hand at her. “We honestly don’t get that many customers - it’s mostly regulars who are all really nice - and you’re going to do fine. Plus no one is going to get upset with you for not knowing everything on your first day.”

“Okay,” Maria said softly, looking at the register as the door opened and their first customer walked in. 

—

When Maria finished her shift at noon she was feeling a lot better about the job. It had been a pretty busy morning but it was easy to fall into a rhythm with Theodosia. Dolley came in around ten to show Maria how to use the coffee machine properly and, after a few minutes of Maria being unsure about this new and strange dominant, she found it easy to get along with Dolley as well.

The apartment was empty when she returned since all three Schuylers had classes. She had the entire place to herself for another few hours before anyone would be home so, after a quick shower, she curled up on the couch to watch some tv while she waited for it to be a more acceptable time to start making dinner. 

She didn’t expect to fall asleep but she must have since she opened her eyes to find Peggy sat across from her in the oversized armchair. She could hear the sounds of music coming from the kitchen and the shower drifting down the hall so she assumed that all three sisters were home. She sat up, the blanket that someone had draped over her sliding down into her lap. 

“Hey,” Peggy said, looking up from her textbook with a smile. “Nice nap?”

“Yeah,” Maria rubbed a hand over her face. “What time’s it?”

“Nearly six,” Peggy said, jotting a few things down in the notebook that was balanced on the arm of the chair. “Eliza’s making tacos for dinner.”

“Oh okay,” Maria said, taking the blanket off her lap and standing. She folded it up placed it on the arm of the couch before brushing her hair out of her face. “I’m going to go help her.”

“Alright,” Peggy said, turning back to her work. Maria tucked her hair behind her ear before going into the kitchen. Eliza was listening to some random station on the radio as she efficiently moved around the kitchen, making two separate sets of taco filling - a meat one for Angelica and Peggy, and a cornmeal one of Maria and herself.

“Hi,” Maria said as she moved into the kitchen, going over to the sink to wash her hands. “Need any help?”

“Yes please,” Eliza smiled. “Can you cut up the tomatoes and lettuce?”

“Sure,” Maria said, going over to where the items were laid out next to a cutting board.

“How was your first day of work?” Eliza asked, looking over her shoulder at Maria for a moment. 

“It was good,” Maria smiled, grabbing a tomato to begin slicing it. “Theodosia, the manager, and Dolley, the assistant manager, are both really nice.” 

“That’s good,” Eliza’s smile was bright as she dished up the taco filling into two bowls. “How’s your stomach?”

“Fine,” Maria said, scooping up the chopped tomatoes and putting them into a dish. “It started to settle after a couple hours.”

“I told you everything would be okay,” Eliza said, resting a hand on Maria’s shoulder and squeezing it gently as she passed. Maria blushed, ducking her head a bit and letting her hair fall down to hide her inflamed cheeks. Eliza took the bowls of filling and plate of tortillas out of the kitchen to the dining room while Maria finished chopping up the lettuce. Once everything was chopped up and in a bowl, Maria took them into the dining room as well before going off to find Peggy and Angelica to tell them dinner was ready.

—

_Maria is sitting on the front porch of her house when the police arrive. Her babysitter is inside making dinner and her little black cat, Midnight, is curled up in her lap. Maria is reading the newest ‘Junie B Jones’ book that her mother gifted her just that morning before she and her father left for their weekend getaway. It is the first time that they are leaving Maria home for the weekend with a babysitter and Maria is excited. Tracy always lets her stay up later than her bedtime and makes the best pizza._

_The police car doesn’t have any sirens or lights on when it arrives so Maria doesn’t notice it at first. It isn’t until the officers are standing right in front of her and one of them speaks that she realises they are there. Maria looks up from her book, frowning in confusion at the sight of the police officers. They speak, asking where her babysitter is and Maria points inside before standing up and adjusting her skirt._

_“We need to speak with her,” one officer says, following Maria to the door. She nods, pushing open the door and calling out for Tracy. Midnight sticks close to Maria, hiding under her skirt and rubbing against her legs as she walks into the house. Tracy comes out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on the apron she always wears while cooking. Her grey hair was pulled up into a bun on the top of her head and Maria wants to ask Tracy to do her hair like that. But it would have to wait until the officers were gone and she could remove her hijab._

_Tracy and the officers speak briefly before Tracy sends Maria up to her room. She doesn’t understand what is going on but she goes upstairs anyway. Maria watches from the top of the stairs as Tracy leads the officers into the living room. Instead of going to her room, Maria creeps back downstairs, wanting to know what is going on._

_“There has been an accident,” one officer says. His voice was even but Maria could hear a bit of sadness in it._

_“We’re very sorry to inform you that Mr and Mrs Lewis were in a car accident earlier today,” the other officer continues and Maria freezes, entire body stiffening as she stands in the hallway outside the living room._

_“Did they?” Tracy trails off and Maria can hear the distinct wobble in her voice that means she is about to cry._

_“We’re very sorry but neither survived,” the first officer says. Maria gasps, hands clasping over her mouth as tears well up in her eyes. Midnight meows at her feet, rubbing against her but she cannot hear him. She can’t hear anything over the rushing in her ears._

_And then everything is black._

—

“Maria?” Eliza knocked softly on the bedroom door. She had been on her way to the kitchen for a glass of water when she heard the sounds of crying from inside Maria’s room. The sound had instantly made her heart clench painfully and all her instincts screamed at her to go comfort the distressed submissive. “Maria? Can I come in?”

Eliza heard shuffling and what sounded like footsteps coming towards the door. A moment later it opened to reveal Maria, her eyes red and puffy and hair a mess. Eliza’s stomach tightened at the sight and her hands itched to reach out and pull Maria into a hug. She didn’t though, the almost-completely-but-not-quite faded bruise on Maria’s eye a clear reminded of the submissive’s bad experiences with dominant’s. 

“Hi, I’m sorry for waking you,” Maria said softly, her voice hoarse from crying. 

“You didn’t,” Eliza said, gripping the sides of her pyjama bottoms to stop herself from reaching out to touch Maria. “I was awake. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Maria wiped a hand over her face, brushing away tears. “Just a bad dream.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Eliza asked softly.

_Please let me help._

“No, no, I’m fine,” Maria said, sniffling a bit. “It’s late and you’ve got class in the morning. You should sleep.”

“You’ve got work,” Eliza pointed out softly. “But I have a feeling you won’t be sleeping for a while, huh?” She paused, clicking her tongue a couple times before offering softly. “Do you want to come watch a movie with me? You don’t have to talk about your dream but it’ll give you something to take your mind off it.”

Maria didn’t answer for almost a full minute, she just stood there staring at Eliza as if trying to figure out the dominant’s motives behind the offer, before she finally gave a small nod and opened her door wider to step out. She was dressed in what looked like a wonderfully comfortable pair of fuzzy pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt. Eliza smiled gently and took a step back to give her some more space. 

“Why don’t you go pick a movie and I’ll make us some tea,” Eliza suggested softly as they moved down the hallway together. Maria nodded without question and went into the living room. It wasn’t until after she was gone that Eliza realised just how much her suggestion sounded like an order and mentally cursed herself. She needed to be more careful about that. She wasn’t Maria’s dominant and she didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. Eliza made two cups of chamomile tea and carried them into the living room. Maria was already curled up in the corner of the couch, absently flicking through Netflix to find something to watch. Eliza set down a mug on the coffee table in front of her before moving to sit down a little ways away, not wanting to crowd the submissive. Maria shot her a grateful smile before settling on ‘Annie’ to watch. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> righto, friends, here is where I start getting into some things occasionally that I have no idea about. I decided a long time ago that I wanted to have Maria be Muslim in this, well she was raised Muslim until her parents died and then stopped practicing while in foster care/married to James but will once again start practicing now that she feels like she has control over her life again, but I know even less about Islam than I do about Judaism. As always, I will do lots of research but honestly, there is only so much I can find online and I’m always very cautious of misinformation. 
> 
> So please please please if I get something wrong tell me so I can fix it. I love including diverse characters in my stories because it gives me an opportunity to learn about different cultures but I know I’m never going to get everything right all the time. So yeah. If I get things wrong tell me so I can fix it or if you just know things and want to let me ask a million questions that’s cool too thanks come chat with me!


	5. Monday, 19th - Tuesday, 20th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Thanks,” Maria whispered, grabbing the mug and holding it close to her chest._
> 
> _“You’re welcome,” Peggy said, sitting cross-legged across from Maria. She opened the bag of popcorn and rested it down between them before picking up one of the pamphlets at random and absently reading through it. For a while the submissives sat together in silence, Maria sipping her tea and Peggy reading through the pamphlets._
> 
> _“What're you going to do?” Peggy asked softly after the long silence._
> 
> _“I don't know,” Maria said, hand moving back to rest on her stomach._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends, yes it's me. I'm back with another chapter. I'm not completely happy with this one but I've been working on it for weeks and it's not going to get any better. So here you go. 
> 
> I don't think this story is actually going to be too much longer. It's obviously not going to cover all of Maria's storyline and I don't want it to drag on too long. I'll probably end it in a chapter or two - with plans to come back to these lovely ladies in the future.

Maria had been living with the Schuylers for exactly one month when Peggy finally convinced her to go to the doctor. Maria had spent every morning for the past week vomiting so after much convincing Peggy made an appointment with her doctor for Maria to get checked out. Maria had managed to keep her mysterious illness a secret from Angelica and Eliza, not wanting to worry the pair over nothing, and had sworn Peggy to secrecy which the other submissive did reluctantly. Peggy and Maria had been growing increasingly closer recently had Maria wouldn’t hesitate to call Peggy her best friend - even if she never said so out loud.

“Ms Lewis,” a voice said, making Maria and Peggy both look up from the video they were watching on Peggy’s tablet while they sat in the waiting room at the doctor’s office.

“That’s me,” Maria said, standing up and grabbing her purse before walking over to the nurse. She glanced over her shoulder at Peggy as she went, getting a thumbs up and a smile, before following the nurse down the hall to the exam rooms.

“Go ahead and take a seat on the exam table,” the nurse said while she rested the chart on the desk. “Doctor Adams will be with you shortly.”

“Thank you,” Maria said, giving the nurse a shy smile while she went to sit down. The nurse gave her a nod before leaving, pulling the door shut behind her.

—

Maria stared down at the paper in her hands. Most of what the document said made no sense to her but one part did - the one part that mattered was as clear as day and easily understandable.

She was pregnant.

Maria didn’t know for sure how far along she was, but she could make a few good guesses. Based on the signs and symptoms she’d frantically searched up after getting home she would guess she was about two months along. She glanced over at the little pamphlets resting on the bed next to her, one hand moving to rest on her stomach as she caught sight of the one tucked partially under the rest.

‘Abortion, Adoption, or Parenting: Knowing Your Options’

Maria’s hand rubbed slowly over her stomach as she stared at the pamphlets. That one in particular seemed to be mocking her.

“Maria?” Peggy said, knocking on her bedroom door. “I’ve made you some tea. May I come in?”

“Sure,” Maria said, not bothering to hide the pamphlets since Peggy already knew what was going on. The door opened a moment later and Peggy stepped inside, a mug of tea in her hand and a bag of popcorn tucked under her arm. Her expression was carefully light as she shut the door behind her and went to sit on the bed.

“It’s caffeine free,” Peggy said, handing Maria the mug. “Since you know, caffeine is bad during pregnancy.”

“Thanks,” Maria whispered, grabbing the mug and holding it close to her chest.

“You’re welcome,” Peggy said, sitting cross-legged across from Maria. She opened the bag of popcorn and rested it down between them before picking up one of the pamphlets at random and absently reading through it. For a while the submissives sat together in silence, Maria sipping her tea and Peggy reading through the pamphlets.

“What're you going to do?” Peggy asked softly after the long silence.

“I don't know,” Maria said, hand moving back to rest on her stomach.

“Are you going to keep it?” Peggy asked, her voice completely free of judgement.

“Yes,” Maria said without hesitation, hand pressing more firmly against her stomach. “I don't- I- yes.”

“Okay,” Peggy nodded, reaching out to rest a hand on Maria’s arm and squeezing gently. “We should get you an appointment with an OB/GYN.”

“I should probably start looking for an apartment,” Maria whispered, reaching over to grab the tablet she'd borrowed from Peggy.

“What? Why?” Peggy’s hand shot out and grabbed Maria’s making the older submissive jump and recoil. Peggy dropped her hand, sliding backwards slightly to give Maria some space. “Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.”

“It's okay,” Maria whispered, looking down at her lap.

“Why would you want to look for an apartment?” Peggy asked, occupying her hands by fiddling with the pamphlets on the bed.

“Because you and your sisters have been very generous to let me stay here but I doubt you want a baby around,” Maria said softly, brushing the hair out of her eyes as she unlocked the tablet. “Especially a baby that's not yours.”

“We won't kick you out, Maria,” Peggy said gently. “We like having you live here with us.”

“You've been too kind to me already,” Maria said, brushing her hair behind her ear. “I don't want to take advantage.”

“You're not taking advantage,” Peggy said, reaching out slowly to take Maria’s hand to squeeze it gently. “We want to help you, Maria. We like you and have the resources to help. Please let us.”

Maria swallowed, tears prickling at the back of her eyes as she gave a small nod. “Thank you.”

Peggy smiled, shifting closer and pulling Maria into a hug. “Plus, Eliza and Angie will be ecstatic. They love kids.”

“You can’t tell them,” Maria said, wrapping her arms around the other sub and hugging her tight. “Please, promise me, Peggy, that you won’t tell them. Not yet.”

“Alright,” Peggy said, resting her head on top of Maria’s. “I promise.”

“Thank you,” Maria whispered, closing her eyes and letting herself enjoy the comfort the other submissive was offering.

—

“Hey, do you want to come with me to my bible study tonight?” Peggy asked, gently moving the brush through Maria’s hair. They had spent hours laying in Maria’s bed, reading through the pamphlets and looking up the best OB/GYN in the area.

“I’m, ah, I’m actually Muslim so, no thanks,” Maria said softly, offering Peggy and apologetic smile in the mirror.

“Oh!” Peggy looked surprised, eyes widening a bit. “Why didn’t you say something before? I’ve asked a bunch of times. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“No. No, you haven’t,” Maria said, hands settling on her stomach. “I haven’t really told anyone in years. My foster families weren’t very accepting and it was just easier not to say anything.”

“I’m sorry,” Peggy said, putting down the brush to begin braiding Maria’s hair. “Your religion is a part of you and you should be able to express all parts of you.”

“Thanks, Peggy,” Maria smiled, heart filling with warmth at the other’s words. Meeting the Schuyler sisters was quite possibly the best thing that has ever happened to her.

“You’re welcome,” Peggy said, tying off the end of the braid with a hair tie. “If you decide that you want to start practising again let me know if there is anything you need. Or Angie or Eliza. We’d all be very happy to help in any way we can.”

Maria was quiet for a while as Peggy worked on the French braid for the other half of her hair before speaking softly, “Actually, there is something.”

“Anything you need,” Peggy said, smiling gently at Maria through the mirror.

“Do you think you could come shopping with me tomorrow?” Maria asked softly. “I, ah, I want to start wearing a hijab again but I need to get some scarves and under-scarves. And I, um, I don’t really want to go alone.”

“Of course I’ll go with you,” Peggy said, finishing off Maria’s braid quickly before wrapping her arms around the other submissive’s neck and hugging tight.

“Thank you, Peggy,” Maria whispered for what felt like the millionth time that day, resting a hand on Peggy’s arm.

“You’re welcome, Maria,” Peggy kissed her cheek before stepping back. "I think I'll skip bible study tonight. Let's watch a movie!"

—

The next morning, Maria woke up to the feeling of an arm landing on her stomach. She gasped slightly and looked over to find Peggy still fast asleep beside her, the tablet they’d been watching a film on laying abandoned at the foot of the bed. Peggy looked completely peaceful in her sleep, her hair a mess and covering half her face. Maria gently moved the other submissive’s arm off her stomach before sitting up. The movement caused her stomach to roll with nausea and she had to take a second to collect herself before standing. She grabbed her robe off the footboard of the bed, tugging it on before leaving the room.

Eliza was, unsurprisingly, in the kitchen when Maria entered. The dominant was dressed for the day, her hair pulled back into a simple braid at the base of her neck. Her dress was simple but elegant, the style Maria had come to expect from the dominant. Eliza looked up when she heard footsteps enter the kitchen, smiling brightly at Maria.

“Good morning,” she said, moving to the coffee pot. “Coffee?”

“No thanks,” Maria said, resting the urge to rest a hand on her stomach. “Just some juice if there is any, please.”

“We’ve got orange or apple,” Eliza said, moving to the fridge to grab the cartons.

“Apple please,” Maria said, going to sit at the counter where a spread of waffles and fruit was already laid out. Eliza poured the glass of juice before resting it down in front of Maria with a smile. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Eliza said before going back to serving up herself a bowl of fruit. Maria put a waffle on her plate, scooping up a bit of fruit. She wasn’t overly hungry, not with the nausea still rolling in her stomach, but she knew she needed to eat something. She had a shift at the cafe and then was going shopping with Peggy so she’d need all the energy she could muster.

“Got any exciting plans for today?” Eliza asked as she sat down next to Maria.

“Not really,” Maria shrugged, cutting her waffle into small pieces. “Just work and then Peggy and I are going shopping.”

Eliza laughed, “Good luck. Shopping with Peggy is always an adventure.”

“I’m sure I’ll be okay,” Maria said, giving Eliza a small smile. Eliza returned her smile, eyes bright and gentle. Her gaze made Maria flush before ducking her head and focusing on her breakfast.

“I swear to god I’m going to murder Alexander if he doesn’t shut up,” Angelica said, coming into the kitchen still dressed in her pyjamas, hair a mess. “Today was my sleep in day and he woke me with a million messages in the Student Union group chat.”

“Sorry,” Eliza said, hiding her chuckle behind her hand.

“No you’re not,” Angelica grumbled, going over to pour herself some coffee.

"Yeah not really," Eliza shrugged, laughing as Angelica glared at her. "I'm usually the one who has to deal with Alexander's total lack of understanding of normal sleep schedules. You can deal with him for one morning."

"I'm gonna kill him," Angelica muttered into her mug, taking a long sip of her drink.

"Who're we killing?" Peggy asked, bouncing into the kitchen, looking wide awake and far too put together even though she was still dressed in yesterday's clothes.

"Alexander," Angelica said just as her phone chimed with another message, making her mutter curses under her breath as she grabbed it and silenced it. The other Schuylers laughed as Angelica tossed her phone back onto the counter and continued to sulk while sipping her coffee. Maria watched the interaction with a small smile as the sisters continued to bicker and tease. She loved the way the sisters teased and tormented each other, but would kill and die for each other without a thought. Being an only child Maria didn't ever have that growing up and once she entered foster care it was always an 'every man for themself' type of situation. It was nice to see a group of people who loved each other so deeply.

Her hand wandered to her stomach without her even thinking about it. She swallowed, glancing down and rubbing her stomach gently behind the cover of the counter, hoping desperately that she would be able to provide that type of life for her child. 


	6. Tuesday, 27th February

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Eliza is brilliant. She’s wonderful.”_
> 
> _John raised an eyebrow, a smirk spreading across his lips. “Oh? Brilliant, huh?”_
> 
> _Maria sighed, ducking her head and fiddling with her mug. “Oh, shut up.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Life is a bitch and super busy but I've finally managed to organise things so I have a little time ~~each~~ most days to get some writing done. So please enjoy this chapter that took me far too long to actually finish.

Maria adjusted the scarf wrapped securing around her head and shoulders. It had been a week since she and Peggy had gone to purchase the scarves but it wasn’t until that morning that she had finally worked up the courage to put one on. She had the afternoon shift at the cafe so she wasn’t in a rush to get ready. Which turned out to be a good thing since she had spent the past half hour staring at herself in the mirror, nervously fiddling with her hijab. She sighs softly, glancing over at Peggy’s tablet that was propped up on the dresser with a video showing out to put on a hijab paused on the screen. The last time Maria had worn one was at her parents funeral a decade ago and she could only partial remember how to put one on. Luckily the internet was full of helpful videos and it didn’t take long for memories to return to her of her mother teaching her.

After one last adjustment, Maria took a deep breath and turned away from the mirror. She left her bedroom and made her way down the hall to the kitchen. She brushed a hand down her shirt, settling over her stomach. There was only the barest hint of a bump there, nothing that anyone would notice, but Maria was constantly worried that someone would notice. She wasn’t ready to tell people. Not yet.

She could hear the voices of all three sisters in the kitchen, making her steps falter. She knew that the sisters would be completely supportive of her but part of her brain screamed at her to go back to her room and take off the scarf wrapped around her head.

“Maria?” Peggy peaked out of the kitchen, smiling at her. She stepped out of the kitchen and walked over to her, holding out a hand to the other submissive. Maria took Peggy’s hand, squeezing it gently. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Maria whispered, her grip tight around Peggy’s hand. “Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Come on,” Peggy said, giving her hand a gentle tug. “Eliza made waffles.”

“Okay,” Maria said, letting Peggy pull her into the kitchen. Angelica was sat at the counter, typing out something on her phone while muttering under her breath. Eliza had her back turned, facing the counter and chopping up from fruit while she hummed a soft tune. Peggy gave Maria’s hand another quick squeeze before dropping it and heading back to her seat where her coffee was waiting. Maria swallowed, taking a breath before softly saying, “good morning.”

“Good morning, Maria,” Eliza said, glancing over her shoulder at her. The dominant paused, brow getting a tiny furrow as she took in the sight of Maria’s hijab before it smoothed out and she smiled. “I like your scarf. The color suits you.”

And that was it. She turned back to the fruit she was cutting without another word. Angelica didn’t even look up, too focused on whoever it was she was texting to even really notice Maria’s presence as the submissive took a seat at the counter on Peggy’s other side. Peggy gave Maria a bright smile and encouraging nod. Maria smiled back softly, the tight knot in her stomach uncoiling a bit.

—

“Hey,” John said as he slid into the booth across from Maria, resting his coffee mug down. One arm was still secured in a sling since his shoulder had not completely healed from the gunshot wound he’d received a month before. “I almost didn’t recognise you with the headscarf.”

“Oh,” Maria said, giving him a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologise,” he waves away her apology. “I like the scarf by the way. Red suits you.”

“Thanks,” she said, her smile turning a bit shy. She fiddled with her tea mug, glancing at John’s shoulder. “How’re you doing?”

“I’m alright,” he gave a small, one-sided shrug. “Better. Physiotherapy sucks but…”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Maria said, reaching over and resting a hand on his good arm, squeezing it gently. “We were all worried about you.”

Now it was John’s turn to smile shyly, taking Maria’s hand and squeezing it gently. “Thank you, Maria. You’re a good friend.” He released her hand to take a sip of his coffee. “So, how’s living with the Schuyler’s going?”

Maria blushes, looking down into her mug as she fiddles with the sleeves of her shirt. “Well, um… good. It’s been going good.”

“Oh,” John smirks, head tilting slightly as he studies her. “That reaction obviously means something. What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing,” she said, shaking her head slightly. “Nothing at all, John.”

“Lies,” he laughed. “Come on, Maria. I can tell you’re lying.”

Maria took a sip of her tea, one hand slipping down under the table to rest on her stomach, rubbing it gently out of John’s sight. “It’s nothing really.”

“You can tell me anything, Maria,” John said, voice completely sincere.

“Really,” she said, giving him a smile. “It’s nothing. It’s just living with the Schuylers is nice. So much nicer than anywhere I’ve been living for the past decade. They’re all so kind and caring and I feel safer there than I have since my parents died.”

John’s smile was gentle, his gaze filled with compassion as he took a sip of his drink. “I’m glad you’ve found somewhere you feel safe, Maria. You deserve it.”

“Thanks, John,” Maria smiled. “And thank you for introducing me to them.”

“You don’t need to thank me, Maria,” John said, reaching out to take her hand and squeeze it again. “I’m glad everything is going well. And that living with a dominant after the experiences you’ve had hasn’t caused any issues.”

“No, no,” Maria said quickly, perhaps a little too quickly. “Eliza is brilliant. She’s wonderful.”

John raised an eyebrow, a smirk spreading across his lips. “Oh? Brilliant, huh?”

Maria sighed, ducking her head and fiddling with her mug. “Oh, shut up.”

John laughed loudly, catching the attention of some of the other patrons of the cafe. He gave them an apologetic smile and wave when they glared at him a bit. “So, you’ve got a crush on Eliza, huh?”

“No,” she muttered, glaring into her mug a bit.

“Yes, you do,” he laughed, sipping his coffee.

“Maybe just a little one,” she admitted softly, glancing up at him. She held her mug tight while her other hand continued to rub at her stomach gently. “But you can’t tell her or anyone, John. It’ll go away soon.”

“You know,” John said, leaning back in his chair a bit. “A little birdie told me that a certain domme has a crush on you too.”

“No she doesn’t,” Maria said, shaking her head slightly. “Don’t be ridiculous, John.”

“Why is that ridiculous?” John asked, genuinely confused. “You’re lovely, Maria.”

“I’m not,” she said, huffing softly as she looks out the window. “Eliza deserves better than me.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Maria,” John said, his voice growing a little softer. Maria didn’t respond, just continued to stare out the window for a long moment before sighing and turning back to John.

“Can we talk about something else?” She whispered.

“Yes, of course,” John said, giving her a gentle smile. “Do you want to hear about the fight Alexander got into in the campus library yesterday?”

“Sure,” Maria nodded, taking another sip of her tea as she settled in to listen to John’s story. She pushed away all thoughts of her and Eliza together out of her mind. It made no sense dwelling on things that would never come to be.

—

Eliza carded her fingers through Alexander’s hair, scratching his scalp as she listened to him plan out his explained his plans for the next Student Union event and how they are being thwarted at every turn by members of the council who hold no love for Alexander. She was only half listening to him, thoughts constantly circling back to Maria and the attraction she felt for the submissive.

“Eliza,” Alexander said, rolling onto his back so he could look at her. He had a knowing look in his eyes, a teasing smirk on his lips. “Have you even heard a word that I’ve said or have your thoughts been so thoroughly consumed by your beloved that you cannot spare a single moment to your dearest best friend and his woes.”

Eliza rolled her eyes, giving Alexander’s hair a light tug. “She is not my beloved. And if I have to listen to another moment of you complaining about your self-proclaimed archenemy I think I will die of boredom.”

“The way your thoughts revolve around her says otherwise,” Alex said, sitting up. “And the blush on your cheeks at the mere mention of her only adds weight to my statement.”

“I’m just worried about her is all,” Eliza said, shrugging slightly. “She has been acting a bit odd lately. She is hiding something.”

“Something bad?” Alex asked, grabbing the hair tie that rested on Eliza’s knee and pulling his hair up into a messy bun.

“I don’t think so,” Eliza sighed. “But I cannot know for sure. She only seems to place trust in Peggy to share her secrets with.”

“And what does Peggy say?”

“Only that it is not hers to share,” Eliza’s brow furrowed at the memory of the unsuccessful conversation with her sister. “She refuses to break Maria’s confidence on the matter.”

“A good thing,” Alexander said. “I’m sure Maria has not had many people in her life she can trust in that way.”

“I’m sure she has not,” Eliza agreed softly. “I just wish I was counted among them.”

“In time maybe you will be,” Alex gave her a soft smile. “But I am sure it is easier to place trust in a fellow submissive. Especially after having many a bad experience with dominants.”

“I know,” Eliza sighed again, brushing hair out of her face as she looked over at the fellow dominant. “But my concern for her still weighs heavy on my heart.”

Alex rested a hand on Eliza’s arm, squeezing it gently. “The size of your heart and depth of your caring is what makes you such a wonderful dominant and friend. Continue to be so to Maria and I’m sure she will share all that burdens her with you in time.”

“When did you get so smart?” Eliza chuckled, patting Alex’s hand gently.

Alex scoffed, “Me? I’m a genius. Haven’t you heard?”

“Of figures and arguments perhaps but not so when it comes to matters of the heart,” Eliza laughed.

“You wound me,” Alex said dramatically, flopping back down to rest his head in her lap once more.

“I think you’ll survive just fine,” Eliza laughed, patting his chest gently as the front door opened and voices could be heard from down the hall. She could make out the sound of Maria’s voice, her heart rate instantly speeding.

“Your beloved is home,” Alexander teased, waggling his eyebrows as he looked up at her. The sound of John’s unmistakable laughter fluttered down the hall. “And it seems mine is with her.” Eliza just rolled her eyes, pushing Alexander off her lap and into a sitting position as Maria and John came down the hall and into the living room.

“Hey,” John said, making his way over to Alexander instantly, smiling at his boyfriend.

“Hey,” Alex reached up and pulled John down for a kiss, stroking the submissive’s cheek gently. “How’s your shoulder?”

“It’s fine, sir,” John whispered, bumping his nose against Alex’s before sinking to his knees next to the dominant and resting his head on Alexander’s knee.

“Hello, Maria,” Eliza said, not even sparing the couple a glance. She had eyes only for the submissive standing in the doorway. Maria’s cheeks were flushed slightly from the cold breeze outside, the blush made more prominent by the red scarf wrapped tightly around her head. “Did you have a good day?”

“Yes,” Maria said, giving Eliza a small smile as she went to sit down in the armchair across from the sofa where Alexander and Eliza were seated.

“I didn’t know you were Muslim, Maria,” Alexander said, running his fingers through John’s hair as he looked curiously over at her.

“No one did until recently,” Maria said, touching the edge of her scarf. “It has been a closely guarded secret for a long time.” Alexander nodded, looking like he wanted to say more but John’s hand on his leg stopped him.

“Would you like to stay for dinner, Alexander?” Eliza asked him, standing as she glances at her watch. “I was going to make lasagna.”

“John?” Alex asked softly, looking down at him. John nodded, giving Eliza a small smile in silent thanks. Maria couldn’t help but feel a small kernel of jealousy at the interaction between dominant and submissive. “We’d love to, Eliza, thank you.”

“You’re welcome any time,” she smiled. “Come and sit in the kitchen. You can keep telling me about that event your planning while I cook. And Maria and John can tell us about their day.” She looked over at Maria, smiling gently at the submissive which made Maria’s stomach flutter and cheeks darken a bit. She looked away quickly, standing and heading down to the kitchen before the others.

“Why haven’t you expressed your feelings for her when she clearly has feelings for you as well?” Alexander asked as he stood and helped John to his feet.

“Because I didn’t want to pressure her,” Eliza said, looking down the hall where Maria disappeared. “I wanted to give her time to heal and settle here.”

“You should speak to her soon,” Alex said, resting a hand on John’s lower back to guide him to the kitchen. “Listening to your pining is growing tiring.”

“Turnabout is fair play, Alexander,” she laughed. “After all the whining I had to hear from you before you and John got together.”

“Yes, whatever,” Alex waved her comment away. “But please put an end to everyone’s suffering and ask her out.”

“I will,” Eliza said, pausing outside the kitchen. Maria was already inside pulling out various ingredients for the lasagna. “Soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter left of this story. But don't worry we'll be seeing more of these lovely ladies in the future.


	7. Saturday, 3rd March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Hi, Maria,” Eliza said with a smile, looking up from the book in her hands._
> 
> _“Mind if I join you?” Maria asked, gesturing to the sofa where Eliza was laying._
> 
> _“Of course not,” Eliza said, shifting and pulling her legs up so Maria could sit down. The submissive gave her a grateful smile before tucking herself into the corner of the sofa, resting the tablet in her lap._

Soon had to wait until the weekend. Eliza found herself completely swamped with school and volunteering for the next week. And Maria had to cover shifts at the coffee shop, ending up with her doing double and even a triple shift on one notable day, leaving her exhausted. It wasn’t until Saturday that both women had time without anything demanding their attention to simply relax.

Eliza was sprawled out on the sofa reading something other than a textbook for the first time in what felt like ages. She was still wearing her pyjamas even though it was almost midday and her hair was pulled back into a loose plait at the base of her neck. Maria slipped into the living room with a tablet under her arm and was surprised to find glasses perched on Eliza’s nose. She’d never seem the dominant wear glasses before.

“Hi,” Maria said softly. She was wearing a plain black headscarf that day and was also still dressed in pyjamas. It seemed that both women had had the same idea about taking advantage of not needing to leave the house that day. Maria had chosen her loosest nightgown to help hide her ever growing stomach. She still hadn’t figured out when or how she was going to tell Eliza and Angelica about the whole being pregnant thing. But she knew she would need to do it soon, not just because she was starting to more obviously show. Peggy was starting to grow antsy about not telling her sisters.

“Hi, Maria,” Eliza said with a smile, looking up from the book in her hands.

“Mind if I join you?” Maria asked, gesturing to the sofa where Eliza was laying.

“Of course not,” Eliza said, shifting and pulling her legs up so Maria could sit down. The submissive gave her a grateful smile before tucking herself into the corner of the sofa, resting the tablet in her lap.

“What’re you reading?” Maria asked as Eliza stretched her legs out a bit and rested her toes against Maria’s thigh.

“It’s called ‘Wild Magic’ by Tamora Pierce. It’s a book I loved as a kid,” Eliza explained, showing Maria the cover. “I recently got the desire to reread it so I am.”

“What’s it about?” Maria asked, her own plans of research on the tablet forgotten in favour of talking with Eliza.

“It’s set in a magical world. And there’s this girl who has what they call ‘wild magic’ which means she can talk to animals but she doesn’t know that until she moves to this other country and meets people who can help teach her,” Eliza explained. “It’s quite good. I loved Tamora Pierce’s books growing up.”

“That’s cool,” Maria said, resting a hand on Eliza’s ankle. “I didn’t do much reading growing up.”

“Oh?”

“There wasn’t much time for things like that,” Maria explained softly with a small shrug. “I had much more important things to focus on.”

“Well, I’ve got tons of books,” Eliza said, pressing her foot a little harder into Maria’s side. The pressure made the submissive smile slightly, it had a grounding effect on her. “And you’re welcome to borrow any you want.”

“Thanks,” Maria whispered, squeezing Eliza’s ankle gently. She glanced over at the dominant before looking down at her lap, cheeks flushing a bit as she asked softly, “would you read me some of the one you’re reading now?”

“Of course!” Eliza’s eyes lit up and she smiled brightly, instantly flipping back to the beginning of the book. “‘Each year, at the end of March, a great fair was held in Cria, the capital of Galla….’”

Maria didn’t mean to fall asleep on Eliza but that is exactly what ended up happening. The dominant had such a beautiful and soothing voice and Maria had had such an exhausting week that it took barely five minutes of Eliza reading for the submissive to fall fast asleep. Eliza didn’t notice at first and it wasn’t until she heard Maria’s soft snores, a sound that Eliza didn’t expect to find so adorable and yet she did, that she realised that the submissive had fallen asleep on her. Eliza wasn’t upset - not in the slightest. She’d seen how tired Maria had been lately and it was nice to see her resting. Eliza sat up slowly, careful not to disturb the sleeping submissive as she grabbed a blanket and draped it gently over Maria before curling up against the other arm of the sofa and continuing to read her book silently.

—

Eliza was still reading when Maria woke up. The room was darker now since the sun had started to set. Maria opened her eyes, rubbing a hand over her face as she rolled over to look up at the ceiling.

“Hey, sleepy head,” Eliza said softly, resting her book down in her lap and smiling gently at Maria.

“Hi,” Maria whispered, blushing a bit as she sat up. She adjusted her hijab as she did, making sure it was sitting correctly around her shoulders. It had only moved a bit while she was sleeping, not enough to cause worry since her hair was still completely covered but enough that she needed to fix a couple things.

“Sleep well?” Eliza asked, bookmarking her page and resting it on the side table.

“Yeah,” Maria said, giving her a small smile. “I’m sorry for falling asleep on you.”

“It’s fine,” Eliza smiled. “You needed the sleep. You look so exhausted all the time. Are you getting enough sleep, Maria?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, resting a hand on her stomach and rubbing it gently.

Eliza’s eyes flicked down to Maria’s hand, head tilting to the side a bit as she watched her. “Are you okay? You do that a lot.”

“Do what?” Maria asked, shifting to tuck her legs under her body.

“Rub your stomach,” Eliza said, eyes narrowing a bit in concern. “Are you okay?”

“Oh,” Maria blushed, ducking her head. “I’m fine. I just- sometimes when I wake up I have a bit of an upset stomach. No big deal.”

It wasn’t technically a lie but it definitely wasn’t the whole truth either but Maria wasn’t ready to tell Eliza everything.

“Okay,” Eliza said, nodding slowly. She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear, biting her bottom lip a bit as she watched Maria. There was a long minute of silence as Maria continued to look down at her lap and rub her stomach and Eliza continued to watch the submissive before Eliza worked up enough courage to speak.

“Maria?” Eliza’s voice was soft.

“Yeah?” Maria said softly, looking up from her lap.

“Would you-” Eliza paused, taking a long deep breath to steady herself as a light blush spread across her cheeks. “Would you like to go to dinner with me?”

Maria inhaled sharply, a soft startled sound, before whispering, “Like a date?”

“Yeah,” Eliza nodded, rubbing her thumb over the mark on her wrist. “A date.”

“I-” Maria desperately wants to accept. Ever since she’d met Eliza she had felt a connection to the dominant and there really wasn’t anything she wanted more in that moment than to accept Eliza’s invitation for a date but the small bump in her stomach reminded her that there were more things to consider than just her desires. “I can’t.”

“Oh,” Eliza’s expression completely plummeted. She looked the saddest Maria had ever seen her as she gave a small shaky nod. “I thought- I- okay. I’m sorry.”

“I want to,” Maria whispered, fiddling with her scarf. “But I can’t.”

“You don’t have to explain anything,” Eliza said, looking up and giving Maria the warmest smile she could manage. “You don’t owe me anything, Maria.”

“Eliza, I…” Maria shut her eyes, arms wrapping tight and protective around her stomach. “I want to, Eliza. I want to go on a date with you. But there are things you don’t know about me. Things that’ll make you not want to date me.”

“I doubt that,” Eliza whispered. “Maria, if you really don’t want to date me it’s fine but if you think there is something in your past that could make me not want to date you then you’re wrong.”

“I’m pregnant,” Maria said, looking away from Eliza and tightening her arms around herself.

“Oh,” Eliza breathed.

“I’m pregnant with my ex’s baby and that’s too much for anything to want to get involved with,” Maria said softly, biting her lip.

“How far along are you?” Eliza asked softly.

“About three months. I found out after moving in here.”

There was silence for a while and Maria was just about to get up and leave the room when Eliza finally spoke again - her voice soft but confident.

“That doesn’t change my feelings.”

“What?” Maria looked up sharply.

Eliza looked up and smiled gently at her. “You being pregnant doesn’t change anything. I still want to go on a date with you.”

“You do?” Maria frowned. “But-”

“Your past doesn’t define you, Maria,” Eliza said gently. “And I like you - a lot. I want to get to know you better. You being pregnant doesn’t take away from the wonderful person you are.” Her smile grew a bit. “Plus, I love kids. And if one day our relationship gets to that point I would love to raise kids with you.”

Maria blushed, ducking her head as warmth filled her.

“So,” Eliza’s smile was evident in her voice. “Would you like to go on a date with me?”

Maria looked up and smiled, giving a small nod. “I’d love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, the end. 
> 
> I think the next story will be a jeffmads one - specifically, the spring break where James gets into a big fight with his father... who knows when that'll be up though since my work schedule is bananas...

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://isnonstop.tumblr.com)


End file.
